What is the meaning of your band name? I was looking for a way to incorporate my name, Kim, into the name of my music project, and I liked the look of the little “a” and the big K followed by the “i d o”. I didn’t know the existence of the Japanese martial art Aïkido at the time. It’s a coincidence, but it means “the Way of harmonious spirit.” and I think music relates well to that.

Describe your nominated work: Gamechanger feels like a stirring journey, yet each track seems to have its own memorable identity. The harmonic explosion of guitars, the tape-manipulated synthetic sounds, the gorgeous female whispers and the shimmering melodies woven into these songs are given time to develop into a homogeneous, 80’s-nostalgia-meets-ultramodern-21st century aesthetic.

Why did you choose to submit this work to The 10th IMA’s? I like the album, and I thought it might had a tiny chance of getting noticed.

Did you use any unusual effects or instruments in this recording? I used a 4-track cassette recorder to give some sounds grittier qualities.

Were there any happy accidents while in the studio, or did everything go as planned? The song Radium Girls was supposed to be instrumental, but I unintentionally wrote lyrics while half asleep one night and recorded the vocals the next day.

Did fans help you fund this project? No.

Who’s sitting in your audience? Probably people like me, who just love music and look for what speaks to them.

What makes your fans unique? They don’t believe the hype, they believe in music.

Are there any songs you wish you wrote? The Beatles‘ “Blackbird,” or any Shostakovich work.

What artists are you listening to that would surprise your fans? Henri Mancini

What is your dream show lineup? aKido, Massive Attack, Radiohead…

What is your guilty pleasure on the road? McDonald’s egg Mcmuffins…

Do you have any rituals before you go on stage? Not really, just want to be left alone to relax and stretch a bit before performing.

Should music be free? No, we need ways to be compensated for the sound sculptures we release out there and are “consumed” or utilized in some commercial way.

How has digital affected your career? It has allowed me to do almost everything independently, which means total artistic control, therefore making it a very personal thing.

Are digital singles vs. full albums the future of music? I prefer albums, collections of pieces that are meant to be together, heard together in a specific sequence.

Finish this sentence: The music industry is… not what it used to be, it lost control. And that’s probably a good thing.

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